CGD Working Group to Tackle Drug Resistance
November 5, 2007
Drug resistant strains of TB, AIDS and malaria are a growing global threat—and rich countries are not immune to the problem of drug resistant diseases. According to one recent study, U.S. fatalities from drug-resistant staph infections may already exceed U.S. AIDS deaths. CGD vice president Ruth Levine reflects on how drug resistance is a little like global warming—both problems require that we think about the planet as one world, with global goods—and bads—that require collective action. A new CGD Working Group meeting this week will study the risks and incentives surrounding drug resistance to find ways of extending the useful life of new and existing drugs.